Under the afternoon sun, a vast stretch of farmland bustled with life. Men and women bent over the fields, carefully planting rows of tender green shoots into the soft earth. Their clothes were stained with mud, yet their movements remained steady and practiced. Nearby, several children ran freely across the fields, their cheerful laughter drifting through the warm breeze.
In one corner of the farmland, however, a small group of children sat in a circle. They leaned close together, whispering among themselves as though sharing an important secret. Every now and then, they glanced around cautiously before continuing their hushed conversation.
"Hy did you know about that mute."
Among the group of children, a seven- or eight-year-old boy asks everyone about someone. Most of them simply nod, playful smiles spreading across their faces.
A few moments later, they all suddenly spring to their feet and dash toward the nearby fields.
Before long, they spot a young boy working alone, quietly digging the soil to plant new crops. Without warning, the chubby boy who had been questioning everyone charges straight at him.
By the time the young boy realizes what is happening, it is already too late.
Bang!
He crashes heavily onto the ground.
A few seconds later, he brushes the dirt off his clothes, slowly gets back to his feet, and raises his gaze toward the group of children.
"What are you staring at, mute? Can't you see we're playing? Why did you get in our way?" The chubby boy, the same one who had slammed into the young boy, says in an arrogant voice before bursting into laughter. The rest of the children quickly join in, mocking him as they run away.
The young boy watches their every action. Despite knowing they are deliberately bullying him, he does not utter a single word. Instead, he silently returns to his work.
That young boy is none other than Su Lin. After arriving in the State of Han, Su Lin assumes a new identity. To avoid attracting unnecessary attention, he pretends to be mute and begins working as a farm laborer. Almost six months have passed since Su Lin entered the State of Han. During this time, he settles in a small village and lives in a self-built bamboo house.
To Su Lin, remaining here is nothing but a waste of time. At first, he plans to leave the State of Han in search of immortals or cultivation sects. However, one day, he overhears several farmers talking among themselves. They mention that in half a year, immortals will descend upon the State of Han to select children between the ages of fifteen and twenty. This immortal sect recruitment takes place once every five years.
For the sake of this opportunity, Su Lin decides to remain in the State of Han and patiently waits for his chance.
In the evening, as the sun is about to set, Su Lin walks through the streets. Suddenly, a commotion erupts in the distance. Curious, he heads toward it. As he draws closer, waves of astonished gasps reach his ears, and before long, he sees a large crowd gathered ahead.
When Su Lin finally catches sight of the scene, his eyes widen in disbelief. A young man, seemingly in his thirties, is calmly floating in the air atop a flying sword.
The moment Su Lin witnesses this, his heart begins to pound violently against his chest, Because in Su Lin's life, he can count on one hand the number of immortals he has ever seen.... After taking a few moments to steady his breathing, he silently steps forward and blends into the crowd.
Some time later, the young man looks over the crowd and begins to speak in a calm voice. Yet despite the size of the gathering, everyone can hear him clearly, as if he were standing right beside them.
Experiencing something so unbelievable for the first time, Su Lin focuses all of his attention on the young man.
"You all know that every five years our sect recruits disciples through the Immortal Selection. Two days from now. Gather at the center of the State of Han. We will take children from there." Hearing the young man's words, many people begin cheering for their children, while others start discussing the matter among themselves. But to Su Lin, those words carry an entirely different meaning.
His chance had finally arrived—the opportunity he had been waiting for over the past six months.
After some time, the young man departs into the sky, and Su Lin also begins making his way back to his house. Along the way, countless thoughts fill his mind. Some are about his future, while others revolve around the criteria for the Immortal Selection.
Yet the one thought that returns to him again and again is Uncle Hong.
When Su Lin first arrived in the State of Han, the loneliness almost consumed him. But as the months passed, he gradually grew accustomed to that loneliness.
As the morning sun gradually rises above the horizon, Su Lin gazes at the scene. The warmth of a new day fills his heart.
This is no ordinary day for Su Lin. Today, he will take his first step into the world of immortals.
Today, that feeling is different. Perhaps it is because of what awaits him in the future, or perhaps because of what he might gain. Whatever the reason, it is unlike anything he has felt before. Perhaps... this feeling is called hope.
Filled with this feeling, Su Lin begins making his way toward his destination. On the way, he hires a horse carriage. As it travels through the streets, memories of the day of the Imperial Examination resurface in his mind.
It is a day he will never forget.
On that day, he spent his final moments with his family. It was also the day he met the person who made his heart race with fear.
But all of that belongs to the past now.
Everything has turned to ashes now.
Halfway through the journey, the horse carriage comes to a stop. When Su Lin looks outside, he sees a family. A middle-aged man and woman are embracing a young boy. Beside them stands a little girl, around eight or nine years old. As Su Lin watches them, the sounds of laughter and heartfelt blessings for the young boy drift into his ears.
"Hao'er, don't worry about the result. Just focus on surpassing your former self."
"Why are you still saying those things? You've been telling him the same words for days. Hao'er, take care of yourself. Now, go to the carriage."
After bowing to his parents, the young boy steps into the carriage and sits in front of Su Lin. Just as the carriage is about to move, the little girl runs out from behind the middle-aged woman and hands him a flower. The flower cannot be called beautiful or vibrant, yet it is enough to fill the young boy's heart with warmth.
Soon, the carriage slowly departs. As it travels farther away, the young boy watches until his family's figures gradually disappear beyond the horizon.
From beginning to end, Su Lin silently witnesses everything. A wave of nostalgia rises in his heart, and the scene unexpectedly calms both his mind and soul.
"Brother, are you going to the selection as well?" After a moment of silence, the young boy asks Su Lin in a friendly manner.
When Su Lin hears his words, he looks at the young boy. After a brief moment of silence, he says, "Is that even a question you need to ask?"
"Oh, you have a point. Sorry brother, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Chen Hao. What's your name, Brother?"
After hearing Su Lin's words, Chen Hao reveals an embarrassed expression, but he does not take offense. Instead, he introduces himself. Seeing his reaction, Su Lin glances at him before replying in a calm and natural tone.
"I'm Li Bai."
"Brother Li, what do you think about this selection process?" After Su Lin tells him his name is Li Bai, Chen Hao immediately asks about the selection process. Seeing his behavior, Su Lin can tell that Chen Hao is a straightforward person by nature.
"I don't know. I've never gone through it before." When Chen Hao hears Su Lin's answer, the way he looks at him suddenly changes. It is as if someone had lived in a city for years without even knowing its name.
"Brother Li, didn't your parents or elders ever tell you about it?"
"No, Brother Chen. I'm new to this city, so I'm not aware of any of that."
After hearing Su Lin's words, a look of understanding appears in Chen Hao's eyes.
"Oh, then let me tell you the important things you should know. First, the sect conducting this selection is called the Heaven's Dao Sect. It is also the guardian sect of the State of Han. My father once participated in this selection, but he failed. Even so, he told me that there are four or five tests. Each test eliminates a large number of participants, and only those who pass every test are accepted into the Heaven's Dao Sect."
Hearing the young man's words, a glimmer of light flashes across Su Lin's eyes. He then looks at Chen Hao and asks in a friendly tone.
"Brother Chen, could you please tell me everything you know about the selection process in detail?"
Hearing Su Lin's words, Chen Hao smiles at him and begins telling him everything he knows.
"Alright, Brother Li. In every selection, the sect tests many things, but the most important one is talent. Although the selection changes every time, many of the tests remain the same.
Every young person our age in the State of Han takes this selection, but only a small number of them manage to pass.
After that comes the Test of Perseverance. In this test, our willpower is examined. My father told me that it is the hardest test of them all."
As Chen Hao continues talking, neither he nor Su Lin notices that they have already arrived at the place where they will meet the immortals. Their conversation is interrupted when the carriage owner tells them they have reached their destination.
After paying the carriage owner, the two of them step out and head toward the selection grounds.
When Su Lin looks ahead, his pupils contract. A colossal ship, as large as a hill, floats high in the sky. Young people around his age stream toward it from every direction.
As he raises his gaze, he also sees the immortals standing in the air.